By Kang Seung-wooBarcelona, Spain -- The chief of Samsung Electronics' network business was confident, Tuesday, that the tech company will be a main supplier of fifth-generation (5G) equipment to local telecom companies amid surging Chinese competition.

Kim Young-ky, head of Samsung's network business / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

"Credibility is the most important in the selection of telecom infrastructure provider. Unlike purchasing a cell phone, a network cannot be pre-tested. Without long-standing mutual trust, it is not easy to pick a vendor," said President Kim Young-ky during a press conference on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress. "It usually takes five to 10 years for a company to gain recognition after entering a new market and I believe Korean wireless operators will consider such a factor as well as price."Kim's remarks came as Huawei is expected to pose the biggest threat to Samsung in equipment. The Chinese company is the world's largest telecommunications equipment supplier. Eyeing 5G commercialization by March 2019, the government plans to complete 5G spectrum auctions for local mobile carriers by June.Along with LG Uplus, Huawei's long-time business partner, SK Telecom and KT, Korea's top two mobile providers, are reportedly showing interest in the firm's equipment thanks to its competitive price. "We have been doing business for 10 years in the heavily-competitive Japanese market. We are proud of our technology and we want to offer it to the most important Korean market," Kim said.Also, Kim said the company is set to use 5G technology as a stepping stone to grow its network business. "The competition for the first 5G commercialization is heating up. To take the initiative in the upcoming 5G era, it will be a key issue to secure various 5G-related business models," he said.The next-generation technology took center stage at the annual mobile show, where many global tech companies showcased their relevant capabilities. The 5G network is forecast to enable data transmission speeds 100 times faster than current fourth-generation (4G) long-term evolution (LTE).Samsung believes the arrival of the 5G era will lead smartphone-centered wireless services to expand to other areas such as self-driving vehicles, factories, sports stadiums, city infrastructures, bringing about drastic changes. Its 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) technology has already gained approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, and it is also in cooperation with many partners for producing service models.In addition, the Korean company has been selected to supply Verizon with commercial 5G FWA network systems _ Samsung's 5G platform will be deployed in Sacramento, Calif. by the second half of 2018.Samsung has worked with Korean telecom firms SKT and KT, Japan's KDDI and NTT Docomo as well as Verizon in a variety of fields, including demonstrating 5G in self-driving vehicles and on a moving train traveling at over 100 km/hour."Gaining recognition for its 5G technology, Samsung has also been picked to support Verizon as they advance their 4G LTE network and build the next generation of wireless networks," Kim said."Cooperation with U.S. wireless providers _ Sprint and Verizon _ has paved the way for Samsung to expand its presence in the American market."Samsung and Sprint have worked together to develop high-speed multiple-input and multiple-output tech that will boost wireless speeds across the latter's U.S. network.